Washington — Marc Fogel, an American educator who had been imprisoned in Russia since 2021, returned to the United States late Tuesday night after the White House announced earlier that it had facilitated his release.
The White House shared a photo of a jubilant Fogel stepping off a plane at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, accompanied by White House national security adviser Michael Waltz and Adam Boehler, the Trump administration’s envoy for hostages.
Following his arrival, he was taken to the White House, where he was warmly welcomed on the North Portico by President Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and others.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated to reporters on Wednesday that a Russian national in U.S. custody had been released as part of the exchange that included Fogel’s freedom. Peskov mentioned that the identity of the Russian would be revealed once they returned to Russia.
In a media briefing with reporters alongside Mr. Trump in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Fogel expressed, “I feel like the luckiest man on Earth right now.” He called the president “a hero” for aiding in his return.
“I’m just a middle-class school teacher who’s now in a dream world,” Fogel added.
Mr. Trump refrained from elaborating on how the U.S. and Russia reached the agreement that led to Fogel’s release, describing the terms instead as “very fair, very reasonable.” He also hinted that “somebody else is being released tomorrow that you will know of.”
Mr. Trump did not confirm whether he communicated directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of Fogel’s release, but he posted on social media late Wednesday morning that he had just had “a lengthy and highly productive phone call” with the Russian leader. He noted that they discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, energy, artificial intelligence, the power of the dollar, and various other topics, thanking Putin for Fogel’s release.
In his post, the president mentioned their agreement to “work together very closely, including visiting each other’s nations,” and he indicated that negotiations to end the war in Ukraine would commence “immediately.” He also stated that he would contact Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to update him on his conversation with Putin. He requested Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, national security adviser Michael Waltz, and Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff to lead the negotiations.
Witkoff provided reporters with more details on Wednesday morning, revealing that the deal had come together in the last few days and involved Ratcliffe, Waltz, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia. Witkoff commented that Mr. Trump “has a very strong relationship” with bin Salman, stating that the Saudi leader “was encouraging and pushing and looking for the right result,” which proved beneficial.
When departing for Russia, Witkoff admitted uncertainty about Fogel’s release, recalling Mr. Trump saying, “Let’s get over there and see if we can finish it.” He recounted receiving a call indicating Fogel would be at the airport—he did not identify the caller—and subsequently contacted Mr. Trump, who urged him to “get over there fast.” Witkoff stated he spent about six or seven hours on the ground in Russia but did not confirm if he met or spoke with Putin.
“President Putin had to pardon [Fogel] and had to approve it, so that evidently happened,” Witkoff stated. He informed Fogel, “You’re close to U.S. territory now.” Once their plane was de-iced, they departed. After leaving Russian airspace, they called Fogel’s family, to which Fogel “was doing a jig,” Witkoff remarked. Upon landing at Joint Base Andrews, Witkoff noted that “I think he began singing.”
At the White House, Mr. Trump showed Fogel and Witkoff around the Lincoln Bedroom.
Fogel had been serving a 14-year sentence in Russia and was designated as “wrongfully detained” by the U.S. government late last year.
“President Trump, Steve Witkoff, and the president’s advisors negotiated an exchange that serves as a show of good faith from the Russians and indicates we are moving in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine,” he said in a statement. “Since President Trump’s inauguration, he has successfully secured the release of Americans detained worldwide, and he will continue until all Americans being held are brought back to the United States.”
Boehler had earlier shared a photo of Fogel on the plane heading back to the U.S.:
Why Was Marc Fogel Detained?
Fogel, a history teacher from Pennsylvania, was arrested by Russian authorities at Moscow’s airport in 2021. His family stated he was carrying 17 grams of marijuana for medical use to manage chronic back pain.
His family had urged former President Joe Biden to secure his release, particularly after Fogel was excluded from prisoner swaps during the previous administration. In December 2022, Russia released WNBA star Brittney Griner in a one-for-one prisoner swap for international arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Last August, the Biden administration secured the release of three additional Americans from Russia — Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Marine veteran Paul Whelan, and Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva — as part of a 24-person prisoner exchange.
This agreement also excluded other Americans detained in Russia, including musician Michael Travis Leake, U.S. Army Sergeant Gordon Black, and Russian-American ballerina Ksenia Karelina.
In a statement, Fogel’s family expressed gratitude to Mr. Trump and those who advocated for his release.
“We are beyond grateful, relieved, and overwhelmed that after more than three years of detention, our father, husband, and son, Marc Fogel, is finally coming home,” they stated. “Thanks to the steadfast leadership of President Trump, Marc will soon be back on American soil, free where he belongs. This has been the darkest and most painful period of our lives, but today, we begin to heal.”
Martin De Luca and Andrew Smith, part of Fogel’s legal team, commended the president and his administration for their efforts in securing his release.
“Marc Fogel’s release is historic, long overdue, and a testament to the power of strong leadership,” they declared. “After years of bureaucratic inaction and the consistent refusal to designate Marc as wrongfully detained, President Trump secured Marc’s freedom in just a few weeks, acting decisively to bring Marc home.”
Senators from Pennsylvania, John Fetterman and Dave McCormick, celebrated Fogel’s return.
“Marc Fogel’s return home is long overdue — and I know all of Pennsylvania, especially his family, will be welcoming him back with open arms,” Fetterman, a Democrat, stated on X.
“I am thrilled that Marc Fogel is finally coming home after years of being wrongfully held in Russia,” McCormick, a Republican, commented in a post. “I have been working with the administration on this from day one, and I’m grateful to President Trump and Secretary Rubio for fulfilling their promise to free Marc. I told Marc’s mom, Mafa, during our conversation in August that we had to do everything possible to bring Marc home, and it is a blessing that this day has finally arrived.”
Fogel’s mother, Malphine Fogel, criticized Biden and his administration for the delays in designating her son as wrongfully detained. This designation, made by the Secretary of State, allows State Department offices and federal agencies to collaborate on developing a plan for the release of a detainee.
She filed a lawsuit against the State Department last June, but the case was dismissed. Malphine Fogel intended to draw more public attention to her son’s situation during a rally with Mr. Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, but the event was disrupted when a gunman opened fire on the crowd. The president and two others were injured, and one man was killed in the assassination attempt.
“I was going to be on stage with him, and he was going to mention [Marc’s] name,” Malphine Fogel recounted to CBS News Pittsburgh last July. “We were set to share [his story] with the world. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen as we were prevented from taking the stage.”
She had met with Mr. Trump before the rally, where he pledged to secure Marc Fogel’s release if he won a second term.
